


Feels Like Falling

by junko



Series: Written in the Scars (of Our Hearts) [19]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Amusement Parks, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-07
Updated: 2013-08-07
Packaged: 2017-12-22 16:25:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/915417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So much about the Human World baffles Byakuya.  The only constant is having Renji beside him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feels Like Falling

Watching Renji weave effortlessly through the crowds on the way to the amusement park, Byakuya felt an uncustomary sense of… inferiority. 

How was it that some people took naturally to the utter strangeness of the Human World, and others, like him, always seemed out of place? 

It didn’t help that everything about the World of the Living jangled Byakuya’s nerves. Loud, blaring traffic whizzed by at shunpō speeds, neon lights flashed even in broad daylight, and people seemed determined to jostle Byakuya at every turn. No one kept their distance; no one afforded him even the slightest shred of respect due his station and rank.

His world felt upside down. This whole place was dizzying. Byakuya’s only anchor was the familiar steadiness of Renji at his side. 

Despite knowing it was a somewhat unusual request, Byakuya had wanted to hold Renji’s hand as they walked down the street. Ostensibly, it was so they might not be separated by the crowd. Renji had agreed—at first. However, after less than ten minutes, they were forced to give it up when someone shouted an insult and Renji nearly started a fist fight in the middle of the business district.

Byakuya frowned after the still jeering salarymen. “I don’t understand. The assumption of weakness makes no sense whatsoever.”

“That’s because they’re morons!” Renji shouted after them, and gave the men a final, double-fisted rude gesture. Turning back in the direction they’d been heading, Renji shook his head, “You shoulda let me smack ‘em, Taicho. Then they’d know from weakness.” 

“Indeed. However, it would do neither of us any good to spend the rest of the weekend--or longer--in a Human World prison.”

It was puzzling, though. Attitudes towards shudō were very different here--if those espoused by these business men were, in fact, the norm. To be fair, there were plenty who wouldn’t approve in the Soul Society. However, there, it’d be about Renji’s age. He was a bit older than what was normally considered acceptable in a lover, but Renji’s social class made up for that… at least in theory. 

But, of course, it turned out that social class was a much thornier issue that Byakuya even imagined. 

And, most interestingly, it seemed, Captain Uktiake was far more forthcoming with Rukia than he’d ever been with Byakuya….

Though, perhaps this neglect on Ukitake’s part was intended as a kindness. After all, despite how Renji seemed to feel about the revelation that he was part or a wholly reincarnated Hollow, the ugly truth of the matter was that the true significance of this bit of information was that noble, pure souls were, on average, significantly less powerful than their Rukongai counterparts. 

This was a travesty. 

Quite frankly, Byakuya found it a bitter pill to swallow.

However, as difficult as it was to consider now, he wouldn’t have taken the news nearly half as well as a young cadet. If Byakuya were honest with himself, he was forced to realize that, had Ukitake told him back then, the knowledge would have made Byakuya that much more insufferable… more arrogant and self-important. Knowing that over half his colleagues were Hollow souls re-formed would’ve isolated him further and he would have pushed even harder to demonstrate his innate superiority.

Dear gods, perhaps Ukitake was wiser than Byakuya had ever given him credit for….

Because, had Byakuya known about the potential Hollow nature of Rukongai souls, he would never have married Hisana. He would have treated her like some dirty, worthless whore. He would have used her ruthlessly, and, without a backwards glance, left her to marry his betrothed.

Knowing this would have been his behavior didn’t make Byakuya feel very good about himself. Not at all.

Byakuya was glad he’d been ignorant of this revelation most his life. For having missed Hisana would have been like missing life itself. Despite what his family believed, Byakuya knew Hisana had elevated his soul and made him a true gentleman--just as Renji was making him… human.

Perhaps ‘human’ was the wrong word, but Renji was certainly expanding Byakuya’s… empathy, perhaps. It was the ‘fang’ that had pierced his heart. In the face of Renji’s incorrigible passion for, well, everything, really--the ice that had encased Byakuya’s heart after Hisana’s death was finally melting.

Yet, it was frightening to be this vulnerable again. 

Byakuya thought, perhaps, that was why, sometimes, he still lashed out at Renji. Maybe this was the root of those baffling insults the salarymen had hurled at them, because loving Renji had an illusory sensation of weakness, as it meant opening up and laying bare some parts of Byakuya that even Hisana couldn’t touch.

It was, in point of fact, quite scary. Being in love felt, sometimes, like Byakuya’s stomach was dropping out, like falling too fast and out of control.

Except, like with an amusement park ride, there was safety in the arm that held you.

With the salarymen long gone, Byakuya reached out again and briefly squeezed Renji’s hand, drawing his attention. Their eyes met, and Byakuya wanted to say something then, some pithy summation of all his complicated feelings for Renji, but what came out instead was, “Is it far?”

Renji laughed, “It’s just on the other side of the bridge.” Pointing to a section along the opposite river bank where a Ferris wheel could clearly be seen among roller coasters other brightly-colored, odd contraptions. “See. Just over there.”

Thinking about how it felt to be with Renji, Byakuya said, “I can’t wait to try the rollercoaster.”

Renji almost choked. “What? Seriously?”

“Yes,” Byakuya smiled. “Come. I’ll race you.”

Renji’s widening smile faltered when Byakuya started out, “Uh, okay, but wait! No shunpō!”

Byakuya gave Renji a dismissive glance over his shoulder. And, knowing full well it would only encourage Renji, he said, “Even without flashstep, you have no chance of beating me.”

“Huh,” Renji snarled playfully. “We’ll see about that.”

#

Without shunpō, the race was closer than Byakuya would have expected. He should have called for a ‘no dirty tricks or tackling’ rule himself, but, fortunately, he was quick enough to avoid Renji’s attempts to slow him down, regardless.

“You win. No surprise, eh?” Picking himself up after having made a desperate slide to the entrance gate, Renji dusted the grit from his elbow. With a wolfish smile, he added, “Still, I didn’t do half bad, considering.”

“Not at all,” Byakuya agreed. Now that they’d arrived, Byakuya took a moment to inspect the ‘amusement park.’ It wasn’t much of a park. In fact, there was nothing naturally green anywhere beyond the chain link fence that Byakuya could see. The grounds seemed to be paved over, like the streets the cars and trucks clogged. This place was likewise jammed with noisy, bustling families and rowdy teenagers. There were some couples, though most of the adult men seemed to have come with a wife, children, or a girlfriend in tow.  
They would be an odd couple. Perhaps they might be mistaken as teenage boys, though Byakuya had not dressed the part. Frankly, he had no idea how Renji passed as a high schooler with his tattoos. Many people already gave Renji a wide berth or quickened their pace.

Strangely, the reaction of other stirred a certain amount of pride and possessiveness in Byakuya. Yes, he wanted to tell them all, he is dangerous. More than you could know. And utterly mine.

Renji stood in front of the admission stand and checked out the price list. He pulled the long ruby hair from his face and held it there. The women in the ticket booth seemed a little nervous when she saw his forehead tattoos. It couldn’t have helped matters, the way he scowled at the list. Plus, the outfit he wore was distracting to say the least, with the ripped sleeves showing off all his arm tattoos and the leather cuffs at wrists and neck.

“Jeez, I don’t know,” Renji said finally. Letting his hair fall, he peered at Byakuya through the long strands. “The best deal seems to be an unlimited ride pass, but it’s, like, five thousand yen.”

“I said I’d treat you,” Byakuya reminded him. Eishirō had left Byakuya with a decent amount of pocket money. He could easily pay for passes for the two of them and buy lunch and whatever other things Renji might fancy. 

However, Renji seemed determined to be as judicious with Byakuya’s funds as he was the Division’s. Renji planted his hands on his hips and glanced at what could be seen above the row of midway games, calculating. “Five thousand, though, I don’t know. Thing is, I don’t expect you to last all day. An hour or two maybe. We want to do the Ferris wheel, a couple of roller coasters, maybe a haunted house if they have one… or bumper cars….” He glanced at the price list again, using his fingers to do some calculations. “Well, okay, I guess it’s about the same. I mean, unless we luck out and all the things we want to do are under 400 yen per and somehow I don’t see that happening.”

Byakuya nodded and paid, a bit baffled why it was so important to have gone through all this just to come to the same conclusion. However, he’d made a solemn vow to himself that he would attempt to the very best of his abilities to respect Renji’s wishes in all matters this weekend. Soi Foi’s implied accusations still cut deeply into Byakuya’s sense of honor, and he would see it repaired.

Assault. 

And, she’d implied assault of an intimate variety, and that was a word Byakuya could hardly say to himself. Even in the sanctity of his own mind that particular word crept around the edges of his mind, like the foul and ugly thing it was. It was not a word he’d ever associated with himself in all his long life, and a concept he still had difficulty applying to someone as indomitable as Renji Abarai.

Breaking through his reverie, the ticket attendant asked for Byakuya’s hand. When he cautiously offered it, she surprised him by slipping a bright red wristband around his wrist. She deftly tightened its sticky edges together so that it was loose, but not so much as to slip off his hand. She glanced at Renji, who offered his, but one look at the leather cuffs and she handed the second band to Byakuya as though he were Renji’s keeper. 

They stepped aside so the next person in line could get tickets. Byakuya puzzled at the simple-looking contraption. Renji, meanwhile, used his teeth to pull off the leather on his left wrist. “Give it here,” Renji ordered.

Byakuya complied. After all, he had no hope of understanding even such a basic Human World thing. Besides, he was captivated by the sight before him. With the leather band in his mouth and his long bright red hair hanging in front of his face, Renji had that wild look that stirred a deep hunger in Byakuya. 

Byakuya had already had trouble keeping his eyes from Renji, and something about this moment brought to mind the image of Renji in chains this morning. Gods, just recalling the image of Renji naked with the veneer of subservience aroused Byakuya instantly. Even after cautious thoughts about the inn, Byakuya very soul craved the sight of such power under his command; he ached to hear Renji beg and to see the precious sight of tears.

It was a shame they were nowhere private.

“Let’s do the Ferris wheel first,” Byakuya suggested, trying to keep the huskiness from his voice.

It must not have worked as well as he intended, because Renji glanced up, catching Byakuya in that feral gaze. 

“Heh,” he smiled knowingly around the cuff still dangling by metal ring from sharp teeth. “Sure. Sounds good.”

#

There was almost no queue for the Ferris wheel, only themselves and two or three other couples and groups. The bored, disreputable looking carnie glanced at their wristbands and waved them forward. 

As they waited for the ride to start in earnest, Byakuya fiddled with the heavy chains on the leather that now encircled his right wrist. He’d agreed to wear the extra leather cuff for the time being, so it wouldn’t get lost or have to be stuffed comfortably into back pockets. Besides, Renji seemed quite thrilled to snap it on him.

“Looks good on you,” Renji said into Byakuya’s ear. 

“It doesn’t match anything,” Byakuya noted, clasping his hands together in his lap and staring at the bulky leather. 

“I think that’s what I like about it,” Renji admitted, a finger stroking along the line along Byakuya’s wrist where skin and leather met. “Leather peeking out of buttoned-up silk like that…” His hand left to point playfully at Byakuya’s nose, “It makes you look like a guy with a secret life. You know, more than meets the eye. Mysterious. Sexy.”

And yet Renji knew him better than nearly anyone. Byakuya shook his head fondly. “I’d been thinking the same about you.”

Renji laughed, “I’m the last guy you could call mysterious.”

“True, but you are wildly sexy,” Byakuya said. 

“Wild, huh?” Renji cracked a wolfish grin and gave Byakuya another knowing sideways glance. “You’re in that mood, eh? I thought you might be. Does that mean I’m ‘willful’ too?”

“No doubt,” Byakuya said evenly, though his heart ticked up a notch.

“Heh,” was Renji’s only comment as he stretched an arm along the back of the flimsy bucket seat, making them rock slightly. They’d moved up about three spokes as other people filed onto the ride. Overhead, they could see the feet of a father and his two excited daughters. Renji’s fingers played with the silk at Byakuya’s shoulders. The heat of Renji’s body where they touch in the cramped seat reminded Byakuya of where he’d rather be and what he wanted so desperately to be doing.

As usual and despite extreme effort to conceal it, Renji seemed aware of Byakuya’s arousal. He leaned in and nipped at Byakuya’s ear. His voice was a low rumble as he said, “Yeah, you know, we’re both frustrated after this morning. So, I’ve got a proposition for you.”

A proposition? Here at the park? Intriguing. “Indeed?”

“Yeah,” Renji said, pulling back and peering at Byakuya’s profile. “I know you aren’t, but I’m in a cuddly mood. So I’ve got a compromise. How about you and me ride this thing until I get tired of kissing you? After that, you win me something cute from the Midway. Then we can go back to the hotel and you can have your wicked way with me.”

Kissing and a trinket? Seemed a small price to pay for the promise of ‘wickedness’. Byakuya turned to look at Renji then. The Ferris wheel jerked as they moved up again. “I accept your terms in general principle. However, define ‘wicked.’”

Renji startled blanched a bit to be put on the spot, but he covered it with a scrub at the back of his neck. “Uh, well, I guess I’m open to any level of wicked. I mean, I had a great time with that…uh,” he glanced up at the dangling feet overhead as if worried he’d be overheard by the children, “…thing last night. I’d be up for something on par with that again.”

“On par with the humbler?” Byakuya repeated just to be certain. “That’s fairly intense.”

“Yeah, but awesome,” Renji noted with a slight flush. It was adorable on him with his hair down and wild; it was like having made a tiger blush. “I know you don’t like to repeat yourself, but… well, I feel like there’s more we could do with that thing… uh, maybe? I dunno; you’re the inventive one.”

It was fascinating that Renji had enjoyed that as much as he had, given how painful it had to have been. Still, he’d looked beautiful in it. Byakuya was certainly amenable to a repeat of that particular pleasure and there were always variations on a theme. Byakuya had several thoughts about the matter afterwards, “Yes, I could think of new things to do if that’s your preference.”

The Ferris wheel jerked up another level. They were one space from the very top now. The view was magnificent. They weren’t terribly high up, but the carnival grounds spread out beneath them, the garish colors and noises now removed enough for Byakuya to appreciate them for their spectacle.

Renji frowned out at the blue sky and wispy clouds. An airplane jet’s plume streaked the sky, high above them. Renji’s hand cupped Byakuya’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “I don’t want it to be just my thing, though. Is there something particular you want?”

I want to make things right with you, Byakuya thought. I want to erase the inn and the alley and all my mistakes, forever. Instead, he said, “That you’re interested in playing with any of the equipment is enough for me. Honestly, I’m surprised you’re so keen to kiss me after everything.”

“Why wouldn’t I? I love kissing you. You’re gorgeous and--oh, you don’t think I’m still angry about all that Hollow stuff, do you?” Before Byakuya could explain that he’d meant much more than that, Renji continued, “Because I’m not. Not really. Not in any kind of constructive way, anyway. I mean, I think this class shit around it is fucked up six ways from Sunday, but I’ve thought that for a long time. I can’t really blame you. It’s no one’s fault you were born in one place and I was re-born somewhere else. ”

And yet that was the crux of so much. Byakuya had been born; Renji had been re-born. 

The Ferris wheel started with a sudden jerk. The girls above squealed happily as the wheel began to turn, first taking them backward and going just a little faster than Byakuya had expected. As he felt his stomach drop, Byakuya unconsciously reached for the bar. Renji’s grip tightened on his shoulder. With a contented sigh, Byakuya leaned in close and tilted his head to rest against Renji’s neck.

“No,” Byakuya agreed. “It isn’t anyone’s fault.”

Though Byakuya wondered how Renji would feel to learn that the Twelfth Division was likely responsible for his assignment to Inuzuri and that very probably it was his Hollow-like strength that had condemned him to such a distant and destitute place. But, this hardly seemed the time to bring up that tidbit. So, Byakuya enjoyed the comfort of their companionable silence.

Renji’s fingers found their way to Byakuya’s hair, stroking along his neckline. Leaning in, Renji stole a sniff from the top of Byakuya’s head, which made Byakuya smile.

Having settled into the rhythm of the Ferris wheels’ ups and downs, Byakuya removed a hand from the bar and rested it against Renji’s thigh. There was a pleasant intimacy in this ride despite the open air. Byakuya turned and discovered Renji looking at him with a deep longing. 

Ah, yes. Kissing. 

Byakuya moved in to oblige. Their lips met and Renji opened eagerly for him. Enthusiasm was Renji’s best quality as a kisser. In some ways, Renji was otherwise quite terrible at it. He had a tendency towards wet sloppiness, but he gave away every ounce of his passion in even the simplest of kisses. Byakuya had, in the past, considered attempting to school Renji in the finer art of proper kissing, perhaps leading by example through the complex dance of tongue and touch. Renji, no doubt, would commit himself fully to such practice until he’d mastered it.

But then this rawness would be lost. 

Gone would be the overpowering sensation of being devoured hungrily each time, as though your mouth was a banquet set before a starving man. Lost would be the newness of each encounter, the way Renji approached each kiss as though he’d never done anything like it before, as though every sensation was an unknown to be reveled in, explored completely, and delighted by.

Byakuya always got the sensation he was being tasted, in that same way Renji always seemed to want to smell him. 

Renji seemed to decide to come up for air. Pulling away, he ran a calloused hand along Byakuya’s face. Byakuya cradled into it. He loved Renji’s rough hands almost as much as his ridiculously messy and uncouth kisses.

Renji made a sound that seemed to be a combination of surprise and contentment. “Damn,” he said almost breathlessly.

“I presume that’s some kind of compliment,” Byakuya said.

Renji laughed. His fingers retreating to their usual favorite pastime: running though Byakuya’s hair. “Yeah, it is, because: damn.”

Byakuya leaned forward and gave Renji a light peck on the lips. “I know that Rukia reassured you somewhat, but are you serious about the purification ritual? It’s much rougher on those who would become Kuchiki.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not going to be…. Wait, what?” Renji stiffened in his surprise, jostling Byakuya’s head and rocking their chair. “When you say that, you’re not talking about me, are you?”

“I am,” Byakuya said, giving Renji a confused look. Hadn’t this thick, brainless baboon been listening at all when Byakuya’d given him the kenseikan shard? “I’ve been hoping that after a new clan head is instated, you and I might formalize our relationship.”

“Whoa! Formalize? Did we talk about this? Are you proposing or something?” 

Renji couldn’t have looked more like a cornered animal. His hand had left Byakuya’s shoulder and the other was similarly raised as though to ward off some attack. “Why else would I give up my position in my family?” Byakuya asked him. “Has the implication of that escaped you this entire time?”

“Uh… well, I mean…” Renji pulled himself together enough to shrug, “…yes? You said it was about taking pressure off to re-marry and produce an heir… I didn’t think it was because you and me would be… that I’d be… I don’t even know what I’d be… what the hell would I be?”

Byakuya hadn’t really considered everything, but he should probably broach the most important matter first. He had a feeling Renji wouldn’t react well. “At some point, I’d like to have your name added to the Kuchiki Koseki.”

“Written into the family roll?” Renji blinked. “You saying you’d _adopt_ me?”

“You must admit it’s the best solution given our circumstances,” Byakuya said. There was no marriage ceremony they could perform that would be legally recognized. “Aunt Masama has made me very aware of how vulnerable you are. It also makes inheritance possible. I worry that otherwise my family may challenge any claim you made to the Sixth.”

“Ain’t that up to the head captain?” Renji stopped himself with a shake of his head, “And aren’t you being just a little bit naïve? Considering how your family wants to neuter me for just touching you, don’t you think they’d actually rip my balls off if you made me your… what would you make me?”

“I would make you my beneficiary.” It wasn’t exactly a title yet, but Byakuya had plans to work out how to word things so Renji could effortlessly take the Sixth and have a pension and a place to live. “You couldn’t be my heir. That will be Rukia, of course. However, I think I can manage to make sure that you’re comfortable and protected without me.”

“Protected from what? I’ve got a respectable rank. Nobody but you or the head captain can take that from me. So, you know, I’m doing okay.” Renji smiled crookedly. “It’s sweet that you’re worried about me and I don’t mean to be rude or disrespectful or anything, but I can’t leave Seichi to be the last Abarai. He’s a moron. Even though that seems to be somewhat of a family trait, that stupid shit could still hang for his part in the raid on our patrol. Plus, I’m sorry, but ‘Renji Kuchiki’ just don’t have the right ring to it, you know what I mean?

“I think Renji Kuchiki sounds just fine. It’s perfectly balanced in meter and makes a pleasant rhyme. My poet father would have approved of the sound of it, I think,” Byakuya said lightly, trying to hide his hurt. Even though he knew Renji would react badly, it was still a painful rejection. Not so much because Byakuya thought Renji loved him any less, but because there were few other options for them. And, despite what Renji seemed to think, there were real dangers to him that could be mitigated if he had the name, even if he didn’t have the family support. “In truth, I was expecting to have to do this in secret. You could have remained Abarai until my death.”

“Your death?” Renji seemed to be relaxing a bit. His arm found its way around Byakuya’s shoulder again and he squeezed Byakuya tightly momentarily. “You keep talking like I’d want to outlive you, like I’m not planning on going down in whatever fight takes you out.”

“If we’re lucky to be side by side when that day comes,” Byakuya noted. “You are, after all, on assignment here, and I am not.”

The Ferris wheel creaked to a halt. Their chair swung precariously for several moments as they came to rest at the very top. Renji frowned out at the landscape below them. The river that cut through town was like a wide dark ribbon just visible at the edge of the park grounds. Renji grunted unhappily. “You going to let me kiss you some more, or what?”

So the matter was closed. Renji didn’t want to think about a future without Byakuya. Byakuya could certainly understand the sentiment, but Byakuya knew that love couldn’t conquer death. Death came whether you wanted it to or not; no amount of will could stop it.

Still, there was no need to push the issue today. Perhaps, given enough time or sufficient motivation, Renji might reconsider. If nothing else, Byakuya might consider adding Renji’s name without the family’s or Renji’s permission, perhaps some kind of paperwork that could filed with the right people and be set to go into effect upon news of Byakuya’s death.

Yes, that might be the perfect solution. 

So resolved, Byakuya said, “Yes, you may kiss me.”

They went up and down and round and round, waving their wrists at the carnie for several rides, until finally Renji’s passion seemed to grow more urgent and he whispered huskily, “Okay, you can win me a stuffed animal and let’s go.”

#

Walking along the boardwalk full of game stalls, Byakuya and Renji looked at all the various games and prizes. Renji seemed to be hunting for something in particular. Every time they slowed the hawkers shouted out enticements to the two of them. Renji was playfully arguing with one of them about the quality of their wares when Byakuya felt something wet hit the back of his silk shirt. When he spun around to see what had happened he saw a chagrined looking teenage boy with a now empty snow cone container. “Oh, hey, sorry about that, I didn’t see you standing there.”

Byakuya frowned icily. He was in gigai, and thus perfectly visible to anyone. He wanted to say so and to demand more subservience. After all, in the Soul Society there would be offers of reparations and a whole lot more sincerity in an apology. This young ruffian didn’t even seem capable of a small bow. 

Renji came up beside Byakuya. “Dude!” he snarled at the boy, “The fuck?”

Somehow, seeing Renji made the kid cower. “Look, man, I said I’m sorry. It was an accident, okay?”

“Watch where you’re going next time, huh?”

That seemed, strangely, to be the end of it. The boy scampered off, while sticky ice dribbled into Byakuya’s underwear. “My shirt is ruined,” Byakuya noted irritatedly.

Renji glanced at the back of it. “Yeah, it kind of is.” He smiled at Byakuya lasciviously, “You could go without. It’s warm enough.”

“Go shirtless? Are you insane?”

“It was just a thought…. A really, really hopeful thought,” Renji muttered. “I could try to win you one of those,” he suggested pointing at a game that seemed to involve popping balloons with a dart. The prizes were all tee-shirts like the one Renji wore, though some advertised that they glowed in the dark and had glitter. Before Byakuya could protest, Renji was already offering a few yen to give it a try. Of course he had excellent aim, so in a minute Byakuya was choosing a black shirt in his size featuring a black panther that supposedly looked ‘3-d’ under something called a ‘black light.’

Finding a semi-secluded spot between some Midway tents, Byakuya changed into it, while Renji guarded his modesty. When he’d pulled the new shirt over his head, he looked at the raspberry stain on the white shirt in dismay. “And what of the silk?”

Renji shrugged. “I’m sure Eishirō can get that out eventually. Give it here; I’ll tie it around my waist.”

Like some kind of favor? Byakuya smiled and hand it over, “All right, why not?”

They walked along like this a while longer, Renji still intent on whatever ‘cute’ thing he had in mind. As they passed various stalls, Byakuya found himself fascinated by a thing called ‘bumper cars.’ All the young people seemed to be there, squealing and having such fun ramming into each other. In the queue, Byakuya saw a familiar tuft of brilliant orange hair.

“Come, Renji,” Byakuya insisted, heading for the bumper cars with sudden purpose. “I believe we need to issue a challenge.”

“Huh?” Renji followed Byakuya’s gaze and then nodded seriously, “Oh yeah!”

#

Rukia seemed unable to take her eyes off the panther on Byakuya’s chest. Kurosaki, meanwhile, was already posturing with Renji over which of them was the better driver. Kurosaki turned his bright smile to Byakuya and said, “I didn’t think this would be your sort of thing, Byakuya.”

Rukia and Renji flinched simultaneously at the casual familiarity. Byakuya, meanwhile, had already steeled himself for it. “It isn’t really,” he admitted. “I’m here for Renji.”

“For Renji?” This thought seemed to baffle Kurosaki for a moment and he looked between the two of them, and then his eyes widened. “Oh, right! Because you and Renji are… uh, oh. Um… wow.” He stammered to a halt, his face the color of a beet. “’Cuz that’s not an odd couple or anything.”

“Hush,” Rukia admonished, entwining her arm around Kurosaki. “I think it’s awesome you’re going to try the bumper cars, nii-sama! Have you been on many other rides?”

“Just the Ferris wheel,” Byakuya said.

“That’s…uh, romantic,” Kurosaki muttered and both Rukia and Renji moved to smack him in the head. He avoided Renji skillfully, but Rukia landed a blow to his ear. Kurosaki rubbed it overly-dramatically and made a face at her.

“It is,” Byakuya agreed, taking lead and showing his wristband once the queue moved up. Just to make Kurosaki squirm he added, “Very romantic.”

Byakuya was strangely delighted by the mutual choking sounds that came from Kurosaki and Renji.

#

It took Byakuya a while to understand the mechanics of the tiny vehicle. However, Kurosaki showed no mercy, banging into him while he was jerking awkwardly around. Renji kept Ichigo occupied for a while, and then all of a sudden he was side-swiped by… of all people, Rukia! 

Byakuya glanced up to see her gigantic, if slightly sly, nervous smile. Byakuya glared at her, “I see how it is. Betrayed by my own family,” Byakuya said as though deeply affronted. “This, my dear Rukia, means war.”

She squealed and backed up in a hurry. Having mastered the controls, the chase was on!

Just when Byakuya was certain he had Rukia cornered, Kurosaki seemed determined to attempt to come to her rescue. Luckily, Renji slammed him out of the way. Wanting to take on Kurosaki himself, Byakuya sideswiped Renji. Rukia waded back in with a battle cry and bumped Kurosaki. 

All too soon it was over. Right in the middle of a team effort, too! Byakuya and Renji after Kurosaki… and the power quit. 

Of course, Kurosaki leaped out of his car and offered a hand up to Byakuya. Byakuya considered refusing it, but it was clearly meant as a gesture of goodwill. Clasping it, Byakuya let Kurosaki help him to his feet. But, instead of letting go, Byakuya pulled him closer, “Next time, Kurosaki, you won’t be so lucky.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds like a challenge! Let’s go again!”

Byakuya allowed himself a small grin. “Agreed.” 

#

They went several rounds. Eventually, Kurosaki begged off, saying that he and Rukia had yet to do the rollercoaster. Renji looked ready to say goodbye to them, but Byakuya’s curiosity was piqued. The bumper cars had been surprisingly fun and Byakuya wasn’t ready for the day to be over.

“Couldn’t we?” Byakuya asked Renji.

Renji looked startled by being asked permission, and by the fact that suddenly all three of them seemed to be waiting on his answer. “Uh, I guess—I mean, if you want to.”

“You’re not scared, are you, Renji?” Ichigo asked.

Renji made a gruff noise. 

Was he? It seemed unlikely, given that he had no problem with shunpō and he seemed to occasionally ride Hihio Zabimaru’s bone-fangs. Byakuya fell back to walk beside Renji. “Would you rather go back to the hotel?”

Renji’s eyes glanced at where Rukia and Ichigo walked in front of them, their bodies leaning into one another. “I’m good. I just didn’t expect to be on a double-date.”

Rukia glanced over her shoulder to smile encouragingly at them. 

Byakuya could understand why it might be awkward. Kurosaki did seem determined to make inappropriate comments and insinuations about their relationship. Rukia, meanwhile, kept staring at Byakuya’s panther tee-shirt and the leather cuff like she couldn’t quite believe her eyes. Renji was stuck watching his rival flirt with his best friend, and Byakuya kept seeing ghosts—not just the usual one of Hisana, but also Kaien Shiba. 

“Just one ride,” Byakuya offered when Renji said nothing, “Just enough to satisfy my curiosity.”

#

Turned out, Byakuya loved the speed, the thrill, the… wildness of the rollercoaster. It should have been tame, he went faster in shunpo all the time, but his wasn’t the guiding hand behind this speed. Each twist and turn came from nowhere. It was unpredictable, surprising, like being carried by Senbonzakura around the sky. One ride couldn’t satisfy him. When he next noticed, Ichigo and Rukia had moved on and Renji was starting to look a little green around the gills.

“I’ll sit this last one out, okay?” Renji said, when Byakuya instantly headed back to the queue.

Last one? “Oh. Yes, of course. Why don’t you get yourself something to eat?”

Renji nodded gratefully.

It was, it turned out, less fun without Renji yelling beside him. When the ride was over, Renji was waiting for him with something on a stick. It appeared to be a giant smooth cylinder of fried batter that looked...vaguely obscene. Byakuya took it warily, “What is it?”

“Corn dog,” Renji explained taking a rather seductive bite of his.

Byakuya had to smile. There would be no way to eat this without being completely pornographic. As Byakuya took a big bite, he was grateful Rukia was long gone. 

Watching Byakuya eat brought a hug goofy smile to Renji’s flushed face. His eyes went wide as he seemed to struggle to swallow the bite he’d taken of the dough covered hot dog. In fact, “Murgh,” was all Renji could say. He looked ready to faint when Byakuya licked the mustard from the crusty exterior of the long, phallic treat.

Renji managed to tear his eyes from Byakuya and suddenly spotted what he’d been after. “Oh, hey!” he said grabbing Byakuya by the hand and directing him to the stall. Byakuya was surprised to see the booth filled with oversized stuffed animals. 

“This?” Byakuya asked.

“Yeah,” Renji said. He pointed to the animals, “Cute.”

“As you wish,” Byakuya said with a nod. It was a simple matter and Byakuya got the giant stuffed tiger for Renji on the first toss. 

The carnie looked impressed. “Most people aren’t so good at tracking moving targets like that.”

“Most people,” Byakuya reminded the man, “Aren’t Kuchiki.”

“Damn straight,” Renji agreed, taking his prize.

#

“What do you plan to do with that thing?” Byakuya asked once they’d shunpō’d back to the hotel. The stuffed tiger was huge, almost half as large as Renji. Held by its tail, it might be as tall as Rukia.

“I’m going to have Ishida modify it, make it into a plushy nue.”

Byakuya blinked, still uncertain why adding a snake tail and a baboon head would improve anything. “To what end?”

“What’d’ya mean ‘to what end’? So I can snuggle with it. D’uh!”

Byakuya shook his head. “I may never fully understand you, Renji Abarai.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks have to go to Josey (cestus) who not only did her usual bang up job with the usual typo spotting, but thanks to her I found out that the Japanese do, in fact, have corn dogs, though they sometimes call them American dogs (and sell them in vending machines.... what....?) or French dogs, for unknown reasons. Regardless, they exist. Whether of not they could be found at an amusement park, I have no idea. Also, while I did the research to discover that there are some record setting (speed and distance) rollercoasters in Japan, she provided some language for the enjoyment of them (which I couldn't... because rollercoasters make me barf.)


End file.
